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Dorothy Copus Brush And the card read, "To Grammy Copus" By Dorothy Copus Brush She had lived in the same rural, close-knit
community in Ohio from her birth but in 1978 after our daddy
died she sold the home they had shared for more than 50 years
and chose to live with my sister. Shortly after that decision
she became part of today's mobile society when her son-in-law's
work took them first to Texas and finally to Arizona where she
spent the rest of her life. For one who had never experienced moving she
adjusted well, made new church friends and became a favorite
with neighborhood children. She was never called Mrs. but to
all she became either Auntie or Grammy. There was a Peter Pan quality about her that
youngsters recognized, and they were fascinated by the tales
she told. Often her stories were about horses she had owned.
She remembered the first time her father lifted her onto a horse
when she was barely beyond the toddler stage. From that time
on horses were part of her life. From her mother she learned
to ride sidesaddle and astride the horse. Long before the public became fascinated with
the art of horse whispering, Mother had been a horse whisperer
because it just came naturally. Her horse barn had two stalls
and visitors often remarked on how clean the barn was and added
you could eat off the floor. She kept not only the barn but the
horses spotless. She rode the horses and she also had a sulky.
It became a common sight to see her driving down our country
roads. Mother shared her knowledge of horses with many young
people as she taught them how to care for the animals as well
as the correct way to ride them. My sister and I were youngsters when our parents
purchased grave lots in the cemetery behind our church. They
bought six lots, realizing that some day we would marry, and
if we chose our families could be together, even in death. When
Daddy died we had headstones installed for all of us. Mother
was flown back and is now at peace beside Daddy. At the memorial service in our home church
none of the ministers who had served during the years mother
was active were available so the responsibility fell to the current
pastor. This man had no personal knowledge of our family but
he spoke with the former ministers and longtime members of the
church. My sister gave him Mother's so-called address book and
there he discovered the woman whose service he was conducting. He told the gathering that this was an address
book unlike anything he had ever seen. It was filled with her
written thoughts and favorite scriptures. It held letters and
thank you notes from those who had received cards from her. She
always penned her thoughts about those loved ones. As he shared
parts from the address book Mother was very much there as we
celebrated her long life. Another memorial service was held later in her Arizona church. The flowers on the altar were sent by the children's department. The card read, "To Grammy Copus." |